Field of the Disclosure
The technology of the disclosure relates to fiber optic modules and fiber optic modules that releasably latch to equipment racks or cabinets.
Technical Background
Benefits of optical fiber include extremely wide bandwidth and low noise transmission. Because of these advantages, optical fiber is increasingly being used for a variety of applications, including but not limited to, broadband voice, video, and data transmission. Fiber optic networks employing optical fiber are being developed and used to deliver voice, video, and data transmissions to subscribers over both private and public networks. These fiber optic networks often include separated connection points linking optical fibers to provide “live fiber” from one connection point to another connection point. In this regard, fiber optic connection equipment, which is also referred to as fiber optic equipment, is located in data distribution centers or central offices to support interconnections.
The fiber optic equipment is customized based on application need. The fiber optic equipment is typically included in housings that are mounted in equipment racks for organizational purposes and to optimize use of space. One example of such fiber optic equipment is a fiber optic module. A fiber optic module is designed to provide cable-to-cable fiber optic connections and manage the polarity of fiber optic cable connections. A fiber optic module may be mounted to a chassis or housing which is then mounted inside an equipment rack or cabinet. The fiber optic modules may also contain components including optical components. Due to increasing bandwidth needs and the need to provide a larger number of connections in data centers for increased revenue generating opportunities, a need exists to provide fiber optic modules that can facilitate larger numbers of fiber optic connections in a given space.
In order to facilitate larger numbers of fiber optic connections in a given space, fiber optic equipment supporting high-density fiber optic modules that support a high fiber optic connection density and bandwidth in a 1-U or 1-RU space (U and RU hereinafter referred to as “U”) may be used. In this environment, high-density fiber optic modules have a limited form factor in order to fit in the small 1-U space, which limits the interior space of the high-density fiber optic modules. It may be advantageous to maximize the limited interior space of the high-density fiber optic modules.